Diary Dates

PSHE

Personal, Social and Health Education involves the development of healthy attitudes, aspects of safe living and the development of good social and personal relationships. We presently follow a programme designed to develop children’s emotional literacy and time is given over to Circle Time and Class Councils.

Citizenship

Alongside PSHE, St Francis also teaches Citizenship. During the early years and primary education, Citizenship helps children's social development enabling them to engage with others, to devlelop understanding of their communties and society, and providing opportunities for responsible and active citizenship.

It is helpful for children to understand the relationship between Citizenship and PSHE and make connections between the personal and public aspects of learning. For example, bullying can be seen as a matter of interpersonal relationships, but it is also a rights issue and something that the school as community addresses.

A Journey in Love

A Journey in Love is a resource created by Sister Jude Groden of BRES. It is the recommended programme of study for Catholic schools for Sex and Relationship Education, and has been written as a progressive scheme of work that supports the Religious Education, PSHE and Science curricula taught within the school.

As children progress through school, they discover more and more about themselves and the wider world. This thirst for learning new things in all aspects of life is fostered by the school, who attempt to create a safe, stimulating environment for learning; supporting all children in their development. Our mission statement which drives the school, attempts to achieve this goal following the Gospel values of truth and respect, understanding our journey as children of God, both special and unique.

Central to our work within the school is learning about our faith, including understanding ourselves, our position in our community and how we develop as human beings - our spiritual, social, emotional and physical development. This is how A Journey in Love fits in to the school’s curriculum. The scheme permeates through all levels of learning throughout the school. It focuses on friendship, family, community, relationships and spirituality; a guide to the children’s development as young Catholics.

As you would expect, not all issues related to personal development are covered by the end of Year 6. The content is age appropriate and is taught with sensitivity, taking into account the children’s level of maturity in regard to the delivery of the lessons.

As with all aspects of learning, children are naturally curious and many will have questions related to their lessons. Opportunities to discuss questions form part of the lessons and, again, these are treated with care and understanding.